Title

Authors

Home Institution

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Publication Date

Spring 2010

Program Name

Balkans: Post-Conflict Transformation in Croatia, Bosnia, and Serbia

Abstract

This paper explores the perceptions of residents of Srebrenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina regarding the international media in the post-conflict era. In doing so, the research aims to find out if international media presence and reporting have any impact on local reconciliation processes in Srebrenica. Srebrenica was the sight of siege and eventually a massacre during the wars of the breakup of Yugoslavia. Since the massacre occurred under the supposed protection of the international community, Srebrenica has since become a major focus of international media attention.

Having spent a month in the spring of 2010 in Srebrenica, my primary methodology for research was semi-structured interviews with twelve residents of Srebrenica. They shared with me their opinions and impressions of international media, which I then analyzed according to my literature review, composed of relevant case studies of media perception in a post-conflict community, and relevant publications about Srebrenica today.

Conclusions indicated that interviewees maintained mixed opinions regarding the contribution of international media to local reconciliation processes, and there was no clearly stated negative or positive impact. Interviewees pointed out positive and negative elements of international media presence in and reporting of Srebrenica regarding reconciliation, and pointed out that local media have a greater impact on reconciliation processes in the town and in Bosnia-Herzegovina today.